Aksai didn’t want to get involved in the power struggle between Haan Di and the demonic faction.
He wanted to push forward with his plan—get to Duya Forest, acquire the Aether Beast, and then figure out how to escape the Wild Devil Lands. But that was easier said than done.
Even if he managed to avoid Haitin’s forces on the way in, how would he get back out? And, more importantly, could he afford to offend someone like Haitin?
If things went south, Emerald Cove could end up being dragged into the mess. Even though the island had various agreements with Haan Di and the Purple River Sect, those agreements were largely formal.
Even if the righteous forces and the Dadangar Island Alliance decided to support Emerald Cove to some extent, would that support be enough if the entire demonic faction decided to attack and besiege Aksai’s home?
Aksai didn’t want to find out the hard way. He already knew the answer in his heart.
‘I’ve always known I’m not strong enough. That’s why I diversified my cultivation path. But this time… I realize just how weak I truly am—not only on an individual level but on an organizational level too.
I’ve invested so much in building a solid foundation for Emerald Cove’s forces. But I’m still far from contending with the major powers of the Dadangar Subcontinent. What I’ve built will pay off in the future, but what about now? What can I use right now to get out of this mess?’
Aksai’s thoughts raced like a storm, while his neural link fabric helped him assess the strengths and potential weaknesses of Haitin’s subordinates, as well as Haitin himself.
He still had plenty of trump cards up his sleeve. More importantly, he had some powerful Scarecrow Fiends, almost as strong as initial-stage Foundation Building Experts.
Even if these puppets couldn’t defeat Haitin’s forces, they could at least create a diversion. The chaos unleashed by his puppets might just give him the chance to escape Haitin’s clutches.
Aksai also had various artifacts he had forged, along with Heretic Talismans he’d obtained from his deceased half-master. Plus, he had other tricks to distract Haitin’s subordinates.
However, using these tricks would only paint a target on his back. Haitin would chase him into Duya Forest and never give him a moment’s peace.
Aksai needed a peaceful environment to hunt his targeted beast. If people were chasing him while he carried out his mission in Duya Forest, it would be detrimental to his success.
After all, the safety of his teammates wasn’t important. The mission given by Rai City wasn’t important. The struggle between the righteous, neutral, and demonic factions wasn’t important. Only the hunt of a well compatible Aether Beast mattered to Aksai.
He couldn’t compromise on his original mission, no matter what. Doing so would hurt his future path.
Should he retreat and return to Emerald Cove? Was that even possible? Why would Siya Solaris have gotten caught by Haitin if returning to Rai City was an option?
That said, Aksai had some confidence in avoiding major pitfalls if he chose to retreat. His neural link fabric could help him navigate around certain obstacles. The borders of Rai City and the surrounding regions were protected by Array Formations.
However, his neural link fabric could help him decode some of the security measures before entering those formations. Even if he triggered offensive measures, his various trump cards and Argent Body Realm strength could, in theory, help him make it back to Rai City.
Once Aksai was within Haan Di’s territory, Haan Di wouldn’t be bold enough to attack him or send him back to the Wild Devil Lands. Doing so would damage its reputation.
On the contrary, Haan Di would likely use Aksai’s case to gain favor with the masses and ensure his safe return to Emerald Cove, scoring diplomatic points in the process. Aksai’s safety would just be a byproduct of that move.
But should Aksai really tuck his tail between his legs and run? It wasn’t about his image, but was it the best choice?
Technically, there was nothing wrong with a tactical retreat. After all, Aksai wasn’t under any real time pressure. As a druid with an extremely stable and pure Spirit bloodline, Aksai had a long lifespan. He could afford to take his time and build his foundation slowly and steadily.
However, Aksai’s clone in Acarnis couldn’t wait. The clone’s terrorist sponsors were pressuring him, and the RAD department of the Acarnis World Government, where Aksai’s clone worked, had its own complications, forcing him to produce results or risk being kicked out of the program.
Aksai couldn’t let his clone fail at this point. It would waste a lot of time, and all his investments in the clone would be for nothing if he didn’t push forward with his plan.
Although he had time to spare, he didn’t have that much time. Plus, he needed to strike the iron while it was hot. His Aether cultivation path had just barely started. He needed to maintain momentum if he wanted to have the best results for himself.
As such, starting over in Acarnis wasn’t an option. Why should he start over? Could he replace his current clone to get better results in the future?
It had to be said that Aksai’s clone had a special identity that allowed him to navigate two opposing factions in Acarnis. He had leveraged both sides to maximize his benefits, and there were many more opportunities to gain even greater rewards in the future.
If Aksai abandoned his current clone in Acarnis, it would severely hinder his progress on the Aether Cultivation Path. He couldn’t obtain a more suitable identity for the foreseeable future. Without advancement in Aether Cultivation, Aksai’s prospects in Dadangar would also stagnate.
‘I may have prepared plenty of trump cards before entering the Wild Devil Lands, but they’re only effective against enemies without ties to the major sects or the demonic beasts in Duya Forest.
But this Haitin fellow… I really woke up on the wrong side of the bed the night before I met with this demon star.’